


Love that Taste of You

by KidPhantomThief



Series: Towers and Trolls - A CR Hogwarts AU [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-18 17:49:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19339519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KidPhantomThief/pseuds/KidPhantomThief
Summary: I know something you could give her, Zahra wrote in flowing cursive. Kashaw quirked his eyebrows. He quirked his head. Zahra wasn’t one to help out of the goodness of her heart. She was usually in it for something.When he glanced up at her, she smirked and puckered up her lips.Fuck that.





	Love that Taste of You

**Author's Note:**

> This is a direct sequel to 'Love that Scent Peppermint'. I would suggest reading the other first, but you can still understand this story without reading the other first.
> 
> This story is un-beta'ed so please be nice!

Ever since their first potions class as partners, Keyleth kept sitting next to him and despite her bubbly exterior, Kashaw realized that there was more to her than meets the eye. A lot more. 

She wasn't in Ravenclaw for the blue and silver accents. She was smart. He knew it wasn't the typical book smarts from the amount of slack he had to pick up in potions, but Keyleth was smart in other subjects, like herbology. There, Keyleth was the top dog.

She could name a plant just by the smell of it which is why it was such a surprise that this intelligence didn't carry over into other classes. Half the ingredients they used in potions were plants so how could she not know which one went into a simple health draught?

Kashaw guessed that everyone had their vices and while it annoyed him at first that it seemed like she couldn't do one thing right as his partner, he had to admit that the constant rambling one-sided conversation she tended to have with him every other afternoon didn't annoy him like it once did. Zahra swore that he actually liked it, but Kashaw never admitted it. She already acted smug as it is, he didn't want to add to her ego for being right.

It intrigued him how their conversations started too. It was never a 'hey, how are you, fine day we're having' kind of start. More like a 'hey the sky looks like cotton candy and I want to eat it but it's too high'. Then she would go off on something she read or saw or thought up during the day. Kashaw had to keep any breakable objects out of the way of her windmill arms when she started up with one of her stories. She tended to knock things over when she got too excited. 

The first time she made him laugh was a fluke. It wasn't even something funny she said. She had mixed up one of the ingredients and almost added spider eyes to a potion of skele-gro. When Kashaw had pointed out her mistake, she looked closely at the eyes, disgust crossing her face.

"Close call there. I mean it's pretty obvious why this wouldn't go in there," Keyleth mumbled, more to herself than to Kashaw, but he quirked an eyebrow at her.

There really was no rhyme or reason to adding certain ingredients to a potion so Kashaw had no idea how Keyleth would have known that without looking at the recipe list first. "And why is that?" he asked, adding the scarab beetles and watching the potion in their cauldron bubble up before changing a sickly green. 

"Well eyes aren't part of a skeleton. Why would we add eyes to a potion that grows bones." Kashaw couldn't stop the bark of laughter that bubbled up and it when he tried to keep his mouth closed, he snorted instead trying to keep the noise down. Some of the surrounding students looked at them with curiosity, but Kashaw shot them a glare and they turned back to their own work. 

Kashaw went back to stir the cauldron, but the complete silence was new and he turned to ask Keyleth why she had shut up. Instead he found her staring wide eyed at him, a look of wonder.

"What," he scowled. 

A smile started to grow on the other girl's face and her hands shook, almost vibrating in front of her. "I made you laugh," she said excitedly.

"So what, am I not allowed to laugh," he said. His face was growing hot, why the fuck was it so hot in here.

"No, you are. You're allowed to laugh as much as you want." Keyleth's smile grew soft and Kashaw felt even warmer than before. 

Kashaw would say that was the moment he started to care. Not in general. It’s not like he wanted to solve the debate of morals between wizards and muggles. No. He started to care about Keyleth. And it was weird.

Zahra thought it was hilarious. Despite the cool demeanor Kashaw usually exuded, any mention of the freckled faced Ravenclaw left him sputtering. Well sputtering for Kashaw which meant he just stopped talking.

Internally he was panicking. A little, but he never admitted it to the smaller girl.

Everything came to a head the week before Christmas break. The more Kashaw and Keyleth worked together in Potions, the closer they got, which meant the closer their friends got. Kashaw met the twins, Vax and Vex, fellow Slytherins as well as Percy and Scanlan. Zahra took to the female twin like oil and water. Which meant they detested each other at first.

The passive aggressive insults went back and forth until one day Kashaw showed up at the great hall for a midday meal and they were laughing and joking.

He was sure something was up, especially when it came to the suggestive glances the two girls gave him when Keyleth showed up. It unnerved him, but he brushed it off. Better not to bother otherwise he might call unwanted attention to himself.

He also met Grog and Pike, best friends from Hufflepuff that had accepted them easily into the group. At least Pike did. Grog, a very tall, broad monster like man glared down at Kashaw until Vex had said he was harmless. Eventually Grog dropped the aggressive glares and tried dragging him into his wild antics with Scanlan. If Kashaw wasn’t as antisocial as he was, he probably would take part. 

“So when is everyone leaving? I don’t want you to go without getting your presents!” Keyleth said, bouncing in her seat.

“I’m taking an early train the day after our last lesson,” Percy said. “Why don’t we all get together the night before? That way we can celebrate after all our lessons are finished.”

"Yes!" Keyleth said, a giant smile on her face. 

"Calm down," Percy said smirking at the red head. "The more excited you are, the worse you are at keeping a secret. Remember what happened last year?"

Zahra looked between the two, eyebrow quirked. "She completely ruined the surprise of it all and just told us what she got us. Then she made us wait to actually get them, because she still had to actually wrap them."

"She is pretty bad at wrapping," Grog stooped down to whisper in Kashaw's ear. 

"I am not!" Keyleth slapped Grog's arm and he, very badly, acted like it actually hurt.

As they continued to squabble, Kashaw leaned back to grab Zahra's attention. "Did you get any gifts? I didn't know we were exchanging them." His whispers were easily covered by Grog's booming laughter. 

Zahra shrugged in response. “Me neither, but Vex told me Keyleth does this every year. It appears she loves the holiday.” Kashaw stared at the ground. He didn’t get any presents for anyone. Not even Zahra. They had decided their third year that being an underage wizard, you didn’t have that much money and didn’t want to try and get useless gifts for each other that cost a knut.

It didn’t stop them from sneaking each other candy before leaving for the holidays, but that was it. A chocolate frog or a pumpkin pastry. He didn’t actually have any idea what anybody wanted. And now they would be exchanging gifts.

Scanlan, who was sitting on Kashaw’s other side caught his eye. “Don’t worry about giving any gifts, we don’t care,” he said in a low voice so no one else could hear him. Kashaw let out a small sigh of relief. “The only one who might care is Keyleth and even then she’ll only cry for the next three weeks until we are back from break. And then maybe Percy and Grog will care cause they’ll want to know why she was crying and it will lead straight back to you and then you’ll be hanging by your underpants from one of the Quidditch hoops.” Scanlan watched Kashaw’s face with a smirk. He was pretty sure he held his emotions in check, but was almost positive the smaller boy could hear his heart thumping a mile a minute.

Even though Scanlan was known as a compulsive liar, and would say anything to get a laugh, Kashaw didn’t want to let Keyleth down. Not that he cared, cause he didn’t. Why would he care about her. Fuck.

Zahra's voice popped in his head arguing with him. Of course he cared about her, he didn't know why, but the idea of her crying made him want to beat himself up. He had four days to figure something out before they all met up. 

Later in History of Magic, while the ghostly professor went on about some event that happened in some year of the past, Kashaw took a clean sheet of parchment out and started to think of ideas for a gift that didn't look like he thought of it four days before hand. 

He didn’t have enough time to make anything, and even if he did, he had no idea what to make. Anything charmed was really useless cause he sucked at it and he was pretty sure Keyleth could do a better job herself. He wasn’t really well versed in crafts and knitting mittens was out of the question.

Which meant he had to buy something. His lack of employment and low allowance didn’t leave a lot of options. He could always go with candy, but that didn’t seem like a good gift to give for Christmas. He knew it was the thought that counted, but gift giving was apparently very serious with the Ravenclaw.

Zahra wrote in flowing cursive. Kashaw quirked his eyebrows. He quirked his head. Zahra wasn’t one to help out of the goodness of her heart. She was usually in it for something.

When he glanced up at her, she smirked and puckered up her lips.

Fuck that.

With a flick of his wand, the back legs of her chair snapped and she fell back with a yell onto the floor. Everyone snapped around, staring at Kashaw as the other was currently on the floor and out of sight.

“Uh Professor, can we get a new chair. Zahra fell.”

The next day as Kashaw went to Herbology, he thought it best to ask Percy, one of Keyleth’s closest friends what she would want, but being in Herbology with the Ravenclaws meant that Keyleth was there as well. So he had to find a way to ask him subtly without her noticing. He only had 3 more days to find something for her.

Which was way easier than he thought.

Keyleth was so preoccupied with examining the snargaluff in front of her, Kashaw was able to easily slide up next to Percy without either of the two noticing.

Now he just had to somehow ask the white haired boy what Keyleth might like for a gift without seeming too inquisitive to arouse suspicion.

“What do you think Keyleth wants for Christmas?” Kashaw was never very subtle to begin with and honestly, why bother with it all. If Kashaw needed to know something, he always just asked. Why deviate from the norm now.

Like Kashaw, Percy didn’t seem to care about the awkward question and merely shrugged. “She likes everything really. Goes for the more eccentric stuff really, but it fits her style. Harder to say what she doesn’t like. Nothing too expensive. Not that she would say anything, but she hates when others spend too much on her.” They were handed their own snargaluff to deal with and Percy took the job of distracting the vines.

“I kind of already guessed that she would accept anything, but I just want to get something she will actually like,’ Kashaw said. The seemingly innocent stump didn’t surprise them when various thorny vines emerged and shot towards them. Percy easily wrangled them in a group while Kashaw snatched a pod. At the loss of what it was holding, the vines withdrew and became a stump once more.

Percy took the pod and dumped it in the basket that contained the rest of the class’ collected pods, sliding up to Kashaw in the back of the class once more.

“I wouldn’t worry too much. I don’t think she would hate anything you gave her.” Percy said. “For some reason she really-”

“Interesting, I thought the pods would be squishy, but they were hard as a rock,” Keyleth said to them. “Oh sorry, did I interrupt you guys? What were you guys talking about?”

“Nothing,” Kashaw said quickly, shooting a glance at the other boy.

“Don’t worry about it, Keyleth. I don’t think the professor will let you keep one as you’ll probably want to plant it and I don’t think that will go over well with the Hogwarts gardeners or the house elves. “ Percy said much to the dismay of their friend. Kashaw missed the disappointed pout Keyleth grew as well as the knowing smirk Percy shot his way.

The next day Kashaw was leaning over a fresh piece of parchment in transfiguration. Instead of notes though, it was completely filled with gift ideas, scribbles and crossed out words made most of the information almost illegible.

He purposefully sat a couple seats away from Zahra, much to the amusement of his friend, to make sure she didn’t pull any shit like she did in History of Magic. Which also meant he was now sitting next to Vax, the male in the Slytherin duo.

Since their two groups collided, Vax and Kashaw hadn’t talked much, only exchanging the simple niceties. Despite their lack of communication, Kashaw thought he might know a little bit more about the Ravenclaw.

They were starting lessons on human transfiguration and when the professor asked them to try transfigurating whiskers on their faces, Kashaw quietly slid over to Vax. “What are you getting the others for Christmas?” Kashaw asked, cutting to the chase. The other man only raised an eyebrow to his question.

“Keyleth doesn’t expect anything. She does this every year,” Vax replied. “She gets everybody gifts. Vex and I don’t even celebrate Christmas, but she gets us stuff.” Kashaw’s wand tapped on the desk and he furrowed his eyebrows. “Don’t get her something just because she is giving you something. She really doesn’t care.”

“But what if it wasn’t because she was giving me something?” Vax turned to Kashaw, eyebrows raised even higher than before. “What if I wanted to give her a present just to give her one?”

Kashaw watched as the other opened and close his mouth a few times, looking anywhere but at him. “Well then I guess you can give her one if you really want to.” With a flick of his wrist and a few muttered words, the other Slytherin turned Kashaw’s perfectly good nose into a pig snot.

“Whoops, guess I’ll have to work on it.”

There was one day left until the exchanging of presents and although Kashaw asked everyone, he still wasn’t sure what to get her.

The entire castle was decorated with loads of Christmas decorations. The first time Kashaw saw the the castle in all its Christmas glory, he was amazed. He guessed it had taken days for the entire castle to be decorated in garlands, streamers, and ornaments that hung from the walls and ceiling. Every corner of the hallways had a tree with different color decoration depending on where it was located. Personally, Kashaw liked the Ravenclaw colors as the blue and silver matched really well.

The great hall itself was a sight to behold. Garlands covered the column spaces and the usual sky that covered the ceiling above them while they ate looked as if it was decorated with twinkling christmas lights, blue, red, and yellow blinking down on them.

After 5 years though, Kashaw was used to the over the top decorations and didn’t bat an eye. Keyleth, while having witnessed it for years, never lost her enthusiasm and constantly tugged on his cloak sleeve, pointing out various decorations.

“In the Ravenclaw tower the lights aren’t colored like they are down here, they are all bright white, which looks cool against the blue and silver hangings, but I like the rainbow lights more. Something about the color is just so pretty,” Keyleth sighed. Kashaw didn’t think they were all that great, but when Keyleth said that, he agreed. The Christmas lights were beautiful, but something else was more beautiful…

“Oh look Kashaw!” They had walked into the great hall to be met with a light magicked snowfall. It looked so real but feet before the snow would hit the dinner tables they disappeared, leaving the room warm and dry.

Keyleth grabbed Kashaw’s arm, dragging him towards the Hufflepuff table, their designated space of eating as it was the most welcoming house at Hogwarts.

“Better watch out for Scanlan,” Vex commented to Pike and Keyleth when the shorter Hufflepuff joined them. “Scanlans been going around the school with a bunch of mistletoe, trying to charm it into floating above random peoples heads.”

“He’s trying to make random people kiss? What’s the point?” Vax said.

“He’s not making random people kiss each other. He’s trying to make random people kiss him because he’s a creep.” Pike rolled her eyes, jumping up to wave Grog over when he entered the hall. “Hi Grog! Are you staying here over the break again?” Grog nodded sullenly. “No worries Grog! I am too!”

“Awww buddy!” Grog yelled as they high-fived, making two young Ravenclaws jump. Keyleth apologized for the two of them, waving the girls off.

“Classes end early tomorrow and the students are free to leave after 2pm. I say we meet up after that down at the Hufflepuff dorms.” The others agreed and Keyleth smiled. “Awesome. I’ll be leaving tomorrow night, so we can meet up right before then.”

 

Fuck. That’s right. He had one day left to find a gift for Keyleth. His head hit the table, the rough wood of the table dug sharply into his forehead. 

“When is everyone leaving for the holidays?” Vex asked. “Vax and I are planning to leave the day after tomorrow, so is Percy.”

“I am actually leaving early tomorrow. I got permission for the the headmaster. My family is planning to go to the states and they could only schedule the portkey for 9 am tomorrow.” Zahra said. Keyleth dropped her spoon, her jaw practically dropping to the table.

“But-but-but, you can’t!” Keyleth sputtered, random syllables coming out with no real context. Her hands banged on the table fitfully. “We were going to have a christmas party tomorrow afternoon. When will I be able to give you your gift?” Keyleth slumped to rest on her hand. “I guess I could give it to you before you leave tomorrow morning, but it still sucks you won’t be here for the exchange. I was going to make homemade treacle tarts.”

“I know, i’m sorry Keyleth. I tried asking if I could come at a later time, but that was the only time a portkey could be set up,” Zahra said, scooping some pudding onto Keyleth’s plate as an apology.

The Ravenclaw slumped down, slight pout on her face, but immediately straightened up at Vex’s glare. “It still sucks but the United States, wow! I’m only going home for the holidays nothing special. What about you Kashaw?”

She turned to him and he shrugged. “Nothing much, just staying here.”

Keyleth huffed, but shrugged as well. She went back to talk to Zahra about her plans over the break and Kashaw looked down at his plate.

He had less than 24 hours until they would exchange presents and he didn’t have anything for anyone, let alone Keyleth. Why did nothing seem to work out for him. Over the last few days he had asked around and although he had learned a lot about the girl next to him, the stubborn, easygoing, socially inept girl next to him, he didn’t know what to get her for a gift.

Everybody had basically said that Keyleth would accept any gift, she always saw the best in the items she received and wouldn’t care what he gave her. But Kashaw still didn’t know what to get her.

As he debated on what to do, Vax began laughing uncontrollably. Kashaw looked up to see him pointing straight above him, tears in his eyes. As he looked up, he groaned in annoyance at the leaves and red berries that floated a foot above his head.

“You know the tradition,” a high, sing song voice said. The shorter Slytherin wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, puckering his lips. Kashaw leaned back, bumping into Keyleth and he righted himself quickly. It was hard trying to dodge the smaller boy and not hit the girl next to him, but he had no choice when Grog reached around and grounded his head.

He tried twisting out of his grip, but Grog’s hands were firm and a second later Scanlan’s lips were firmly on his lips. As soon as Grog let go, he pushed the other off, wiping his mouth insistently on his robes.

“You’re gonna regret that Shorthalt.” Kashaw’s threat was drowned out by the roars of laughter from around them.

“Oh my gosh, you should have seen your face!” Vax guffawed. Even Percy, usually straight-faced was laughing.

“As long as I can humor you all,” Kashaw muttered.

He looked over at Keyleth who was laughing as well. Her hand covered her mouth and there were tears in her eyes, but she was silent, laughing too hard to make a sound. “I don’t think you’d be laughing as hard if it was you he decided to forcibly kiss,” he said to her who was now practically falling off the bench.

“I don’t know,” Keyleth said between breaths, still laughing. “I think it’s a beautiful tradition. A kiss is a perfect gift to give anytime of the year and if someone is special enough to you, wouldn't you want to show it?”

“It sounds like you are implying that Scanlan finds me special, more so than anyone else here. More than Pike,” Kashaw said, nose wrinkling in disgust.

“Aww baby, Pike is the only one for me, but she would kill me if I kissed her without permission,” Scanlan said.

"And I wouldn't?"

"Naw, you're a pushover. You can't even tell Key-" but Scanlan was cut off as Kashaw whipped out his wand, casting a small hex on the other boy. Immediately Scanlan's head grew three times it's normal size and the small Slytherin began to float.

The laughter from the kiss had slowly died in the group until the hex brought the sound level up again, Grog's loud guffaws drowning them all out.

Kashaw watched him struggle in the air for another moment before vanishing the hex and watching the boy fall three feet onto the bench beneath him. He scowled for a second before a smug smirk grew on his face.

“Was I not good enough the first time. Maybe I should give you another one to change your mind.” The rest of the meal was spent trying to dodge the others, namely Scanlan and Vax, as they tried to plant kisses on him. The only one who didn’t try, much to Kashaw’s disappointment was Keyleth.

Kashaw saw Zahra off early the next morning, the other girl giving him a knowing look as she jumped in the fireplace to use the floo network.

“If you still don’t have anything to give her by this afternoon, just remember you do have one option left.” With a wink and a flash of green she was gone. Thank god, Kashaw thought as he strolled over to his first class.

The last day of lessons went by fast and while Kashaw was taking his time with lunch and lounging in the Slytherin common room, other students were hurrying around, trying to quickly pack up for their trips back home.

All too quickly it was time to meet up to exchange gifts. Kashaw had gotten a pile of candy earlier that day to give away to everyone, just so it didn’t seem like he was empty handed. He was still relatively new to the group so he was positive the others wouldn’t blame him for not doing something more personal. As for Keyleth...he still had nothing. He just hoped she like cauldron cakes and liquorice wands

The others were already waiting inside the Hufflepuff dormitory when Kashaw showed up. The Hufflepuff common room was much more cheery than the Slytherin’s. While his own was covered in green and black with dimly lit lamps every few feet on the stone walls, the Hufflepuff common room was filled with windows, the last few rays of sunlight streaming in, highlighting the light wood floors and bright yellow wallpaper.

Kashaw joined the twins and Percy on a long bench as Scanlan, Keyleth, and the actual Hufflepuffs sat on the floor surrounded with small gifts, most looking like it had been in a fight with a niffler.

“Great, everyone’s here!” Keyleth exclaimed. She immediately began passing out the wrinkled gifts, a small one falling into Kashaw’s hands. He hadn’t really expected anything, even though everybody had said Keyleth always gave out gifts. He hadn’t celebrated Christmas in years, electing to stay at Hogwarts and away from his adoptive family since his first year. It was easier that way.

 

They went around in a circle, one by one. Vex had gotten a hand knit scarf, while rough around the edges, it changed colors depending on the outfit she was wearing. Vax got a nice pair of dragon hide gloves. Scanlan got a ukulele which he immediately started to play like he had been learning all of his life. Grog got an entire cured ham, which he hugged like a teddy bear. Pike got small moonstone pendant, with metal weaving in the shape of a sun. Percy got a pair of specially made goggles that could withstand high temperatures. 

And then it came to Kashaw. The small gift sat heavy in his hands as the weight of everyone’s gazes fell on him. “I didn't know what to get for you, but seeing as you haven't really seen the muggle world, I was pretty sure you hadn't seen anything like this, ” Keyleth said, her head propped in her hands. She made a motion for him to open it and his eyes slowly drifted back down. The paper came off in pieces due to her horrible wrapping job and there sat a square box, not bigger than a bludger.

Inside was a glass ball filled with water on a stand, much like a crystal ball, but this one had a castle inside. It seemed to be an exact replica of the Hogwarts castle, complete with covered bridge and great lake at the bottom.

 

"Wow, Keyleth. It's really nice, but...what exactly does it do?" Keyleth took the glass object and shook it, placing it back in his hands. Small white confetti floated around, settling on the towers of the castle like snow. So it was a regular snowglobe? Kashaw wasn’t really the type for knick knacks, but if Keyleth thought of him when she got this, it wasn’t that bad.

“Thanks.” Kashaw shook it again as it settled, watching the flurries in action once more.

“That’s not all it can do, watch.” Keyleth tapped her wand against the glass. The confetti which had settled on the bottom again, flew around the globe, concealing everything. A few seconds passed before they slowed, revealing a tall, metal tower on four legs. “Look it’s the eiffel tower!” Kashaw could see little ant like creatures moving on the ground. Were those people? Keyleth tapped the glass again and the flurries obstructed the tower, dying down to reveal a pyramid. “And there’s Egypt,” Keyleth said, sliding in to sit next to him. “You can see anywhere in the world in real time. If you were to look at your house when you are standing outside of it, you could see yourself! Isn’t that cool!”

“Like a 3-D google maps,” Vax muttered, peering into the snowglobe. At Grog's confused glance, Vax went into a long explanation of Google and the extents of its technology. He then had to explain what technology was. Eventually it ended with Percy simply stating, "Technology for us is like magic for muggles. Confusing and unable for us to use."

As they discussed this, Kashaw took his own wand out and tapped the glass. A few seconds later, Hogwarts castle stood before them once again. He didn’t know what would appear when he thought of home, but he wasn’t surprised by the answer.

“Thank you, Keyleth. Really, thank you,” he smiled. Keyleth gave a big smile as well, leaning into his side. 

“I didn’t know for sure what you liked, but I thought you might like this," Keyleth said quietly.

“I do.”

Other presents were exchanged between the group with much less fanfare than before. Everybody seemed to like the candy so Kashaw counted that as a win. 

 

Soon they were all sitting back, laughing and talking until the candles grew low. Eventually they all started to leave tough, first Percy, then Scanlan, and then the twins. When it was just down to Kashaw and Keyleth and the Hufflepuffs, Keyleth eventually jumped to her feet. “Well I guess I should be off. All my stuff is already packed and the portkey should be ready soon. Oh, I’m gonna miss you all so much!” Kashaw was taken aback to see tears in her eyes, but ultimately wasn’t surprised.

“It’s only for two weeks Keyleth, It’s not like it’s the summer,” Kashaw said. He didn’t know if he should comfort her or not, but he definitely didn’t want to deal with an emotional Keyleth. “Come on, I’ll work you back to your dorm.”

It took a few minutes of hugging before Keyleth was ready to leave. Pike and Grog saw them off as they began to ascend the many staircases to the Ravenclaw tower.

Keyleth was in a much better mood as they snuck down the dark halls. She pointed out the many paintings, telling him of when she saw the dog in the poker painting sneeze once or how one of the Gryffindor quidditch players on the fourth floor once dropped a ball on the wizard in the painting below him.

Kashaw had to constantly tell her to speak softly, but he never once told her to stop.

All too soon the entrance to the Ravenclaw tower appeared and Kashaw found himself shuffling his feet in the doorway.

“Thanks for walking me back. And thanks for the cauldron cakes, they’re my favorite,” Keyleth smiled, her eyes crinkling at the sides. “And thanks for coming, I know you probably don’t care about all these festivities and I probably annoy you with the how excitable I can get but I just love Christmas so much, right before Halloween-”

Kashaw had to cover her mouth to get her to stop rambling, and stop she did. They stood for a second, staring at each other, Keyleth’s eyes growing big at his hand, eyes flickering between it and him.

A thought had occurred to Kashaw as they climbed the staircases and standing in front of Keyleth now, he knew that if he didn’t do it, he would lose this chance..

Without removing his hand, he tucked the snowglobe he was carrying into one of his robe pockets and pulled out his wand. Raising it above his head, they both watched as two green leaves sprouted out of midair, four red berries growing rapidly from where the leaves met. He put his wand down, watching as the plant kept floating right above their heads.

“Do you know what that is?” Kashaw asked. He still hadn’t moved his hand, but Keyleth nodded slowly. They stared at each other and as cliched as it sounded, Kashaw felt like his heart stopped.

Before he could chicken out, he slid his hand from her mouth to the back of her neck. Keyleth didn’t say a word, but her eyes widened and she gave a silent gasp.

As quick as a snake striking, he pulled her forward, meeting her halfway. Her lips felt warm and soft, far better than anyone else that he kissed, not that there was many. She still hadn’t moved so Kashaw took the initiative and tilted her head, slotting their lips more firmly against each other. He had to angle his head slightly up to account for her height and thanked his lucky stars that she didn’t wear heels.

She tasted like the licorice wands he gave her. He had noticed her munching on them as they left the Hufflepuff dormitories. That was what gave him the idea in the first place, not that he was staring at her mouth or anything.

Okay, no news was good news right? At least she wasn’t mad, though he had hope he would get some sort of reaction out of her. As the seconds ticked by with no response from the red head, Kashaw decided to cash out while he still could.

“Well, i hope you have a good break,” he said before turning around and descending the staircase behind him. He congratulated on how smooth he sounded, patting himself on the back for his voice not cracking. He had just hit the first landing when he felt the staircase shift, changing from the north tower to the east. He also heard a loud smack, as if someone dropped a textbook on the stone floor. He glanced up to see Keyleth, hands gripping the stone railing and glaring down at him.

“Oh that was a cheap move! Do you always run away after you steal a kiss?” She yelled down at him. He could see her trying to find a route to him, but with the staircase moved, she wouldn’t be able to get to him until it shifted back.

He shrugged. “You have to leave to catch the portkey, it’s not like I could have taken you out to dinner first. I saw my chance and I took it.” Keyleth groaned, her head flopping on her arms as her long hair cascaded over the railing. “So you decide to make a move and run away? Just one kiss and now you’re done”

Kashaw paused. Only one kiss and then he was done? It sounded like-

“You want to date me!” Kashaw said, more of a statement than a question.

Keyleth shot up, her face almost as red as her hair. “What-but I-well….Well of course I do you idiot!”

Kashaw’s face hurt. He felt like it was cracking with how wide he was smiling. Zahra would make a joke of how he never smiled and so any smile would break his face and possible the world. The fact that he could perfectly imitate her in his head was a little scary.

His heart was beating fast and he almost felt short of breath, but he looked up, hoping his panic wasn’t showing. Is this what a heart attack felt like? Keyleth wasn’t looking at him though, too busy shaking her head in her hands.

“The second weekend we’re back is a Hogsmeade trip. Go with me?” He asked. His voice sounded neutral, like he was just asking a friend to go with him for some fun. Just him. The two of them, no one else.

There was a pause as they once again stared at one another. To Kashaw’s relief, Keyleth slowly nodded. “Yea, I’ll go with you.”

“Cool. Sweet. Awesome. Um, don’t you have a portkey to catch?” How long had they been standing there? It must of been awhile as Keyleth jumped, floundering around.

“Oh no, oh no! I hope I’m not late,” she muttered to herself, trying to check the time on the clock across dark expanse of the staircases. She jogged into the Ravenclaw tower leaving Kashaw alone for a moment before popping her head back out. “This isn’t over Kashaw!” She smiled and with a wave, was gone.

It better not be over, Kashaw thought with a smile as he descended the staircases to the Slytherin common room.


End file.
